BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC
8-K, 1999-03-03
CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            Washington, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                        Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


     Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 2, 1999

                          BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


               Delaware              1-9971                 91-1413284 
- --------------------------------  ------------          ------------------
(State or other Jurisdiction      (Commission          (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation)            File Number)         Identification No.)


5051 Westheimer, Houston, Texas                              77056-2124    
- -------------------------------------------             -------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 713-624-9500
                                                   -------------





<PAGE>   2
Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         Exhibit No.      Description
         -----------      -----------

         1                Form of Underwriting Agreement

         5                Opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel





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                                   SIGNATURE

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                        BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.

                                      

Date:  March 2, 1999                    By:     /s/ FREDERICK J. PLAEGER II
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Frederick J. Plaeger II
                                             Title: Vice President, General
                                                    Counsel and Assistant
                                                    Secretary 


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                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

Number           Description
- ------           -----------

1                Form of Underwriting Agreement

5                Opinion of Cahill Gordon & Reindel






<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 1


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                                   March 2, 1999


Burlington Resources Inc.
5051 Westheimer
Houston, Texas 77056-2124

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  We (the "Representative") understand that Burlington Resources
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to issue and sell
$450,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 7 3/8% Debentures due 2029 (the
"Securities") to the underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
"Underwriters"). The Securities are also referred to herein as the "Offered
Securities". The Securities will be issued pursuant to the provisions of an
Indenture dated as of April 1, 1992 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and
Citibank, N.A., as Trustee (the "Trustee").

                  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth or incorporated
by reference herein, the Company hereby agrees to sell and we agree to purchase
the respective principal amounts of Securities set forth in the Prospectus
Supplement dated the date hereof related to the Securities (the "Prospectus
Supplement") at a purchase price equal to 98.863% of the principal amount of the
Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from March 5, 1999, to the date of
payment and delivery.

                  We will pay for the Offered Securities upon delivery thereof
by wire transfer of same day funds at the offices of Cravath, Swaine & Moore,
Worldwide Plaza, 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10019 at 10:00 a.m. (New
York City time) on March 5, 1999, or at such other time, not later than 5:00
p.m. (New York City time) on March 12, 1999, as shall be designated by us. The
time and date of such payment and delivery are hereinafter referred to as the
Closing Date.

                  The Offered Securities shall have the terms set forth in the
Prospectus dated May 19, 1998, and the Prospectus Supplement dated March 2,
1999, including the following:

         Maturity Date:  March 1, 2029

         Interest Rate:  7 3/8%


<PAGE>   2
                                                                               2

     Redemption Provisions:    As per the Prospectus Supplement

     Interest Payment Dates:   March 1 and September 1

     Form and Denomination:    Registered form only in denominations of $1,000 
                               and integral multiples thereof suitable for 
                               acceptance by the Depository Trust Company

     Other Terms:              None

                  All provisions contained in the document entitled Burlington
Resources Inc. Underwriting Agreement Standard Provisions (Debt Securities)
dated May 2, 1994 (the "Standard Provisions"), a copy of which is an exhibit to
the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No. 33-47154), are
incorporated by reference in their entirety herein, as amended by the provisions
of this Agreement, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the
same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein, except that
if any term defined in such document is otherwise defined herein, the definition
set forth herein shall control. For all purposes of the Standard Provisions,
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated is serving as the lead Manager (the "Lead
Manager"), and all notices shall be given to it at 1585 Broadway, New York, NY
10036-8293.

                  PricewaterhouseCoopers shall deliver the letters specified in
Section 4(e) of the Standard Provisions. The term "Registration Statement" shall
include in each case the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein.
For purposes of this offering of the Securities, Exhibit A of the Standard
Provisions shall be replaced by Exhibit A hereto. Section 4(c) of the Standard
Provisions, for purposes of this offering of the Securities, shall be replaced
by the following:

         The Managers shall have received on the Closing Date (i) an opinion of
         Cahill Gordon & Reindel, special counsel to the Company, addressing the
         matters set forth in paragraphs (i), (ii)(a), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii),
         (viii), (ix) (items (a), (b) and (c)), (x)(b), (xi) and (xii)[(b)], (c)
         and (d) of Exhibit A attached hereto, and (ii) an opinion of the Vice
         President & General Counsel of the Company, addressing the matters set
         forth in paragraphs (ii)(b), (iii), (viii), (ix) (item (d)), (x)(a) and
         (xii)[(a)] of Exhibit A.


<PAGE>   3
                                                                               3

                  Please confirm your agreement by having an authorized officer
sign a copy of this Agreement in the space set forth below.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED,

                                            By: _______________________________
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

                                                For itself and as
                                                Representative of the
                                                Underwriters named on
                                                Schedule I hereto.

Accepted:

BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.

By:  ____________________________
     Name:
     Title:


<PAGE>   4

                                   Schedule I
                                   ----------
                            
Chase Securities Inc.
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.
<PAGE>   5

                                                                       Exhibit A

                                   Opinion of
                             Counsel for the Company

                  The opinion of counsel for the Company to be delivered
pursuant to Section 4(c) of the Underwriting Agreement shall be to the effect
that:

                  (i) the Company is a corporation duly organized, validly
         existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware;

                  (ii) the Company (a) has the corporate power and authority to
         own its property and to conduct its business as described in the
         Prospectus and (b) is duly qualified to transact business and is in
         good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business
         or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification,
         except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good
         standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and
         its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

                  (iii) each [domestic material] subsidiary of the Company has
         been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good
         standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has
         the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct
         its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to
         transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
         the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property
         requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to
         be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material
         adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

                  (iv) the Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized,
         executed and delivered by the Company;

                  (v) the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust
         Indenture Act and has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
         the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company,
         enforceable in accordance with its terms except that


<PAGE>   6

                                                                               2

         (a) the enforceability thereof may be subject to bankruptcy,
         insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent transfer or
         conveyance or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to
         or affecting creditors' rights or remedies generally and (b) the remedy
         of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable
         relief may be subject to equitable defenses and to the discretion of
         the court before which any proceedings therefor may be brought
         (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or
         equity);

                  (vi) the Offered Securities have been duly authorized and,
         when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of
         the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in
         accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be
         entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding
         obligations of the Company, in each case enforceable in accordance with
         their respective terms except that (a) the enforceability thereof may
         be subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium,
         fraudulent transfer or conveyance or other similar laws now or
         hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors' rights or
         remedies generally and (b) the remedy of specific performance and
         injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to
         equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
         proceedings therefor may be brought (regardless of whether enforcement
         is sought in a proceeding at law or equity);

                  (vii) the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the
         performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting
         Agreement, the Indenture and the Offered Securities will not contravene
         any provisions of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the
         Company;

                  (viii) to the knowledge of such counsel, the execution and
         delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its
         obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the
         Offered Securities will not contravene any agreement or other
         instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is
         material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or any
         judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court of
         the United States or any jurisdiction therein or any other jurisdiction
         having jurisdiction over the Company

<PAGE>   7

                                                                               3

         or any subsidiary, or any provision of applicable law (other than state
         securities law) and no consent, approval, authorization or order of or
         qualification with any governmental body or agency is required for the
         performance by the Company of its obligations under the Underwriting
         Agreement, the Indenture or the Offered Securities except such as may
         be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in
         connection with the offer and sale of the Offered Securities;

                  (ix) the statements (a) in the Prospectus Supplement under the
         captions "Certain Terms of the Debt Securities" and "Underwriting", (b)
         in the Basic Prospectus under the captions "Description of Debt
         Securities" and "Plan of Distribution", (c) in the Registration
         Statement under Item 15 and (d) in "Item 3 - Legal Proceedings" of the
         Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K incorporated by
         reference in the Prospectus, in each case insofar as such documents
         constitute summaries of the legal matters, documents or legal
         proceedings referred to therein, fairly present the information called
         for with respect to such legal matters, documents and proceedings, and
         fairly summarize the matters referred to therein;

                  (x) such counsel does not know of (a) any legal or
         governmental proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or
         any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of
         the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to
         be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are
         not so described or of (b) any statutes, regulations, contracts or
         other documents that are required to be described in the Registration
         Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
         Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required;

                  (xi) the Company is not, nor is it directly or indirectly
         controlled by or acting on behalf of any person which is, (i) an
         "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment Company Act
         of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the
         Commission thereunder or (ii) a "holding company" within the meaning
         of, or subject to regulation under, the Public Utility Holding Company
         Act of 1935, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by
         the Commission thereunder; and

<PAGE>   8

                                                                               4

                  (xii) (a) such counsel is of the opinion that each document,
         if any, filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by
         reference in the Prospectus (except for financial statements and
         schedules and other financial or statistical information included
         therein as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) was
         appropriately responsive when so filed in all material respects to the
         requirements of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and
         regulations of the Commission thereunder, (b) no facts have come to the
         attention of such counsel that lead such counsel to believe that the
         Registration Statement, at the time it became effective, contained an
         untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact
         required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
         therein not misleading (it being understood that such counsel has not
         been requested to and does not make any comment with respect to the
         financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical
         data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
         Statement or the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1)), (c) such counsel
         is of the opinion that the Registration Statement and Prospectus
         (except for financial statements and schedules and other financial or
         statistical information included therein as to which such counsel need
         not express any opinion) are appropriately responsive in all material
         respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable
         rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (d) no facts
         have come to the attention of such counsel that lead such counsel to
         believe that the Prospectus, as of its date or as of the date of such
         opinion, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact
         or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make
         the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
         they were made, not misleading (it being understood that such counsel
         has not been requested to and does not make any comment with respect to
         the financial statements and schedules and other financial and
         statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the
         Prospectus or the Statement of Eligibility (Form T-1)).

                  With respect to paragraph (xii) above, such counsel may state
that its opinion and belief are based upon its participation in the preparation
of the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any amendments or supplements
thereto and documents incorporated therein by reference and review and
discussion of the contents thereof, but are without independent check or
verification, except as specified.

<PAGE>   9

                                                                               5

                  The 10b-5 letter shall include the following:

                  We have participated in conferences with officers and other
representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public
accountants for the Company and your representatives and your counsel, at which
the contents of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and related
matters were discussed, and although we are not passing upon and do not assume
any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, we advise you that on
the basis of the foregoing (relying as to materiality to a large extent upon the
opinions of officers and other representatives of the Company), nothing has come
to our attention which leads us to believe that the Registration Statement at
the time it became effective contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus as of the
date of such Prospectus, and at all times up to and including the date hereof,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it
being understood that we have not been asked to, and do not, comment on the
financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus or on any of the information contained in the Statement of
Eligibility on Form T-1 of the Trustee).

<PAGE>   1
                           [LETTERHEAD OF CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL]

                                                  March 2, 1999

Burlington Resources Inc.
5051 Westheimer, Suite 1400
Houston, Texas 77056-2124

     Re:  $450 Million Aggregate Principal
          Amount of Debt Securities
          --------------------------------

Dear Sirs:

     We have acted as special counsel to Burlington Resources Inc., a Delaware 
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the filing of a Registration 
Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act 
of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the proposed issuance of $450 million 
aggregate principal amount of Debt Securities (the "Debt Securities") to be 
issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1992 (the "Indenture"), 
between the Company and Citibank, N.A.

     We advise you that, in our opinion, the Debt Securities have been 
duly authorized and (upon execution and authentication of the Debt Securities in
accordance with the Indenture and delivery to the purchasers thereof against 
payment therefor pursuant to a sale in the manner described in the Registration 
Statement, including the prospectus dated May 19, 1998 forming a part thereof 
(the "Prospectus")) will be legally issued, valid and binding obligations of 
the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, 
subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or 
transfer, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or 
affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

     We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference of this opinion into 
the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption 
"Legal Matters" in the Registration Statement and related Prospectus. Our 
consent to such reference does not constitute a consent under Section 7 of the 
Act, as in consenting to such reference we have not certified any part of the 
Registration Statement and do not otherwise come within the categories of 
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 or under the rules and 
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.


                                                  Very truly yours,

                                                  /s/ CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL


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